In 37 Minutes

Chapter 1: Audrey

Audrey's POV:

The light seeping through the curtains flittered past my closed eyelids pulling me out of my restless sleep. I spent most of the night tossing and turning – haunted by nightmares of that night, that night that took everything away from me and left me crippled and hollow from the inside.

I laid in bed with my eyes wide open but my body stayed motionless; I could feel the exhaustion slithering into my body and mind before the day even starts.

It was a never ending cycle of ache and self-pity. After all, I lost my old self and everyone in that life simultaneously.

A humourless laugh escaped past my parted lips, I was dumb – no one really cared.

No one.

I keep looking back at the times where my table in high-school was never empty; how everyone fought to just sit and have a conversation with me. One would think after I get paralysed waist below they'd be crowding around to help me, to offer me a shoulder to lean on – but they disappeared into thin air and flew away with the winds leaving me to fend off for myself.

Who was I to blame them? I can no longer rock dance floors.

Sick and tired of all the self-loathing; with the anger bubbling inside me like an inferno at remembering how dumb I was; I pressed the buzz button next to my bed and waited impatiently for Savannah, my personal assistant to come to my aid.

I couldn't get out of bed on my own. I scoffed, how pitiful.

I heard the clicking of the door being opened but I couldn't see anything from the angle I laid in but in next to no time Savannah's smiling face was in my line of vision.

My parents hired Savannah straight after my 'injury' knowing fully well how I can no longer do anything on my own without assistance. She was a nice woman in her late twenties – still young and lively, not crippled and wilting at eighteen.

She had a strong-will, I'll give her that, right after the accident 5 achingly long months ago I was the angriest a person can get, the feeling of helplessness and frustration were coursing through me 24/7; I wasn't used to those foreign feelings – they were and still are, utterly repulsive.

I spent a whole month doing nothing but yelling, crying, sobbing, destructing and pushing everyone away.

But that wasn't so difficult since they all abandoned me.

Savannah stuck by my side till she gained my trust. She didn't back down after all the times I cursed lividly at her. I was constantly angry; still am and she's always in my field when I break out.

She's always a casualty but she chose to stick by.

The only person's company I craved insanely was Lucas. He was the greatest person I ever knew – so unique and caring.

That's why I couldn't let him know – he'd go insane, flip out and abandon everything to be by my side – he was so compassionate, so alive.

He was gone; gone to pursue his dream and live the life he fantasised about since childhood – we were miles apart in thinking but we cared for each other with a fierce loyalty. Even though I was surrounded by people all throughout my life – the moment Lucas would call I felt as if I could relinquish everything for him, even the wildest of parties.

It aches me to keep him in the dark about what I'm going through; having to lie straight to his face feels like knifes prickling at me – but I'm sacrificing my happiness for him.